


I'm putting out the lantern (find your own way back home)

by melodramatic



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Josh is a good kid okay, M/M, They kinda hate each other at first, They meet at summer camp, Tyler is kinda an ass, lots of lanterns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-02 16:49:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11513451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melodramatic/pseuds/melodramatic
Summary: They meet at Camp Charisma.





	1. Chapter 1

"But mom!" Tyler pleaded, throwing his head back and leaning on the kitchen stool, "I don't wanna go!"

"You're going, Tyler. And that's that," She said, slamming the refrigerator shut and walking towards her bedroom. 

He knew he was irritating her - they had been at this argument for about half an hour now, after his mother told him that he was going to go to summer camp weather he liked it or not. And he did not like it.

"But - why doesn't anyone else have to go? Why just me?" He asked, planting his feet on the ground to follow her. 

"Because Tyler, everyone else is doing some sort of sport or activity over the summer. You spend way too much time indoors, and a little sunshine isn't going to hurt you," She sat at the edge of her bed and began untying her shoes.  

"But mom-"

"No, Tyler. And - it's not like I'm asking you to go construct a bridge with your bare hands! I'm just telling you that you have to go to a fun and rather  _expensive_ summer camp. So you better be appreciative, young man."

Tyler groaned loudly and stomped his way to his room, slamming his door loudly. He plopped down, face-first on his bed.

It wasn't that he didn't like the outdoors - he could definitely appreciate nature, and most of the things it had to offer. It was just... well, most 13-year-olds would rather stay home, play video games, and hang out with their friends, rather than going to a camp where they spent most of their time outdoors with strangers, making useless crafts.

And Tyler just happened to fit under that umbrella of "most 13-year-olds."

"Summer camp doesn't sound that bad. I think you're exaggerating," A voice from the other side of the room spoke up.

Tyler lifted his head to look at his brother, Zack, laying flat on his bed and scrolling through his phone.

"Easy for you to say. You're not going," Tyler replied with a bite in his tone.

"Still," Zack sat up and sighed, "Mom and Dad are putting down a lot of money for this. They're sending you to a nice one. You should at least appreciate that."

Tyler grabbed a pillow and threw it in his brother's direction, "Shut up, Zack."

He grabbed the pillow and tossed it back to Tyler, and then exited the room. 

The younger boy groaned loudly again, and then prayed that the summer camp would at least let them play video games at some point.

::::

His prayers were not answered. Because while his mother and father were checking him into the camp, Tyler noticed one of the flyers on a bulletin board. 

**CAMP CHARISMA:**

**NO WIFI**

**NO INTERNET**

**NO ELECTRONICS**

**ALL FUN!!**

The font was even more obnoxious than the color scheme, and he could've sworn that the flyer was written passive-aggressively, just to hit you right in the gut when you thought you maybe had a chance at some sort of virtual entertainment.

"I don't. Want. To be here," Tyler grit through his teeth as his grip on his suitcase tightened. His father shot him a look, and his mother ignored him. 

"Alright, well," The lady behind the desk flashed a smile at all three people standing before her, "Tyler is all signed in. Here's a map of the camp, I circled the unit that he is going to be staying in. We'll check in with all of the campers around five, to make sure they're all settled," Now she looked directly at Tyler, "And we'll serve dinner in the mess hall at 6, when all the parents have left."

Tyler's mom and dad smiled at each other, and then Tyler.

"Sounds good," His mother said, as they all headed out of the doors and towards Tyler's cabin.

"Y'know, I'd be excited if I were you. If I would've got a chance like this-"

"You would've treasured it," Tyler interuppted. His dad shot him another fierce look.

"Don't interupt me, boy," He sighed and shook his head, "Hopefully all of this sun will suck that attitude right out of you."

Tyler frowned. His mother was silent. They continued to walk.

They reached the cabin, and it was definitely small. It was about the size of Tyler's room, with not that much of a different layout. Except instead of two seperate beds on opposite sides of the room, there was one bunk bed, one single bed, and two tall dressers by the door that made the room feel even more cramped.

And they weren't alone.

There was a boy, about the same age as Tyler, laying on the single bed and staring up at the ceiling. When the door opened, he shot up and immediately made eye contact with all of them.

"Hi," He greeted, "I'm Josh."

"Hi, Josh, nice to meet you!" His mother cooed.

"Nice to meet you, too!" He smiled and Tyler already hated him.

"This is Tyler," His dad put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "I guess you guys will be sharing a room?"

Josh shrugged, "I guess so! I think we have one more roomate, too. He's not here yet, though."

"Well, I'm sure you guys'll get along just fine. Right, Tyler?" His mother asked, nudging his side.

He rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed.

It was about an hour or so before Tyler's parents left. They helped him unpack, walked around the area a bit, and spoke to a few of the counselors. They gave him one more speech about why he should enjoy his time here, why this was a luxury, and why he needed to turn his frown upside down.

And then it was Tyler and Josh.

"How long have you been here?" Tyler asked as he sat down on the lower bunk.

"This'll be my third summer."

"That's not what I meant. I meant how long have you been laying there."

"Oh," Josh's expression got a little less happy, "I dunno. I went walking around the camp, but there's not much do yet, so I just came back here, read a few comics, and then laid down."

"Where are your parents?" Tyler asked, raising an eyebrow.

"They just dropped me off. They don't usually stick around like the other parents."

"Why not?"

Josh shrugged and looked around the room. Tyler sighed and blew a piece of hair out of his face.

"It's boring in here. Let's do something," Tyler suggested as he looked around, thinking of what he could do to entertain himself. 

"Like what?"

Now it was Tyler's turn to shrug as he got up from the bed and headed towards the dresser - registering an item he hadn't previously seen.

"What's this?" He asked, holding the handle of a large cage-like structure.

"A lantern. They're mostly for decoration, though. I don't have anything to light the candle inside," Josh replied, crossing his legs and watching Tyler closely.

Tyler's eye widened as he looked back at Josh, "Let's go get some matches! You know where they are, right?"

"Um," Josh thought for a moment, "Maybe they're in the arts and crafts room. But we're really not supposed to be in there without an adult."

Tyler frowned, "You're lame. Don't you wanna do anything besides sit here all day?"

"Well, yeah. But today is check-in day. It's always boring. Tomorrow will be more fun, probably."

With a roll of his eyes, Tyler set the lantern back down and headed towards the door, "Well, I'm going outside to find the arts and crafts room. I'll get the matches by myself."

"You're gonna get in trouble!"

"I didn't ask you!"

And with that, Tyler slammed the screen door shut behind him, and followed the signs towards the different areas of the camp, watching parents help their children unpack and say their goodbyes.

It put an odd weight on Tyler's heart when he saw children getting along perfectly fine with their parents. He wondered why he never seemed to get along with his parents for more than ten minutes a day.

Was it him?

No, it was them. They were _totally_ unreasonable. They sent him to this summer camp against his will. He should... he should rebel. Make a statement. He should try to escape.

But he already knew that was impossible. Judging by the friendly, but rather large, Camp Security partolling the area, he wouldn't make it one half-step out of the camp.

So he sighed and looked around. It actually was a rather scenic area. Although each cabin was side-by-side with another, and they all looked identical, they were designed in a way that made them look old, and rustic. There was a large fountain in the center of the camp, and flowers strategically planted around it.

Behind him were several pews, all facing towards a stage of some sort - maybe for a talent show, or movie night or something. And then there were a few more obvious structures with small signs hanging next to the doors.

**131: Music Bungalow**

**132: Arts and Crafts**

**133: Mess Hall**

Tyler smirked. There it is. 

He walked his way towards 132, and then pulled on the door. It was locked. Great.

He pulled on it again, and when it didn't budge, he looked to see if maybe there was a window open.

There was not. Each window was locked and shut tight, and the only building that resembled any sort of life, was the mess hall, where you could smell the dinner being prepped. 

Tyler frowned and walked away, towards his cabin.

Josh was still sitting there on his bed, as if he knew Tyler wasn't going to be sucessful.

"Were they locked?" He asked.

"Yes, Josh, they were locked."

Josh blinked as if he didn't understand the bite in Tyler's tone. But he didn't comment, and instead, looked at the door where another small boy was entering. 

The three of them stared at each other for a long moment. The small boy looked down at his map, then back up at the cabin.

"Is this room 109?" He asked.

Tyler looked at Josh, who nodded. 

"I'm Nick," He greeted after a silence. 

"I'm Tyler."

"Josh. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too."

Nick set his things down on the only bed that didn't seemed to be occupied: the top bunk. He then took a tissue out of his picket and blew his nose. 

Tyler's face contorted, "Gross, are you sick?!"

The boy quickly shook his head, "No, no. Well, I guess. Technically. It's an immune system deficiency. It's not contagious."

While Tyler was still slightly grossed out, Josh had a look of concern on his face, "Are you going to be okay here? In the woods?"

Nick shrugged the question off with bold words for the tiny frame he occupied, "I'll be fine. Or not. Either way I'm already here, so."

Tyler thought this boy seemed rather mature for his age. And for some reason that caused a certain type of jealousy to flare up in his stomach.

They all chatted for a few minutes before an announcement was made for all of the campers to meet at the mess hall for dinner and some "Welcome Warm-ups." Tyler didn't know what that meant, but he already didn't like it. 

It was really simple, actually. They all ate a nice dinner, and then proceeded to play games with the other campers - games that involved remembering names and getting to know each other. 

It wasn't that large of a camp. There was a good few of 'em, but as Tyler looked around he realized he'd see more people during one of their recesses at school.

Which was fine, actually. The less people he was forced to associate with, the better. 

Surprisingly, the night came to an end fairly quickly. 

Josh and Tyler walked back to their cabin without Nick, and Tyler only half-listened as Josh expressed his favorite parts about camp.

"Josh," He finally interuppted at one point, as they got into bed, "Can you just let me sleep?"

It was dark, but he could still see the boy cross his arms, "Fine."

And Tyler only felt a little bit bad. Josh was nice, but he was also extremely talkative apparently, which didn't bode well with Tyler's short fuse. 

The door opened and closed, and Nick sniffled his way to the top bunk, and it was only a few minutes before everything became silent. 

Flashlights got closer and farther as security patrolled the area to make sure no one was out past curfew. 

Tyler looked towards Josh's bed and wondered if he'd ever want to help him sneak out. 

Probably not. He was too much of a goody-two-shoes. 

Tyler rolled over and faced the wall, promptly going to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Tyler didn't _not_ like Josh, and Josh didn't _not_ like Tyler. 

But neither of them had the chance to bond wih Nick, due to how often he was in the nurse's bungalow, and all of the other campers had their pre-established friend groups.

So Tyler and Josh didn't have much of a choice but to associate with each other. 

"Why don't you have more friends here?" Tyler asked one day as they were eating lunch together, "This is your third summer, here, right? Shouldn't more people know you?"

Josh continued picking at his cornbread for a second before looking up and responding, "People do know me. Nicole knows me."

"Who?"

"Nicole. One of the lunch ladies."

Tyler looked back and saw two women in the kitchen putting the leftovers away. One of them was a rather large women with dark and thick hair that poked out from under a hairnet. The other one was much shorter, and stood with such poor posture, she reminded Tyler of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

"Which one is Nicole?" He asked. 

Josh squinted one eye and pointed, "The small one. She's really nice."

Tyler turned back and sighed, "That's sad. You should have friends your age."

"I do have friends my age. Just not here," The boy said with a pout. 

"Right," Tyler said, in the least convinced tone he could manage. 

"Well, what about you?" Josh countered, "Where are your friends?"

Tyler ignored the question, and instead turned back towards the lunch ladies. 

"Wanna get some more food?" 

"I don't think we're allowed to..."

"So? Let's do it. Let's do something fun. This camp sucks. Let's do something fun."

Josh took a deep breath, "I don't wanna get in trouble, Tyler."

"C'mon, Josh. Look," He pointed back towards the kitchen, "When Nicole and the other lady-"

"Genine."

"What?"

"Her name is Genine. Nicole and Genine are the lunch ladies."

Tyler blinked at Josh. His mind went blank for a second.

"Okay. When Nicole and Genine are gone, we can sneak into the kitchen and get more food! It'll be super fun, I promise."

Nevertheless, Josh shook his head, "What if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught. I used to do stuff like this all the time at school, I never got caught," Tyler expressed confidently. Except, he was partially lying. He did do stuff like this all the time. But he also did get caught. Several times. 

But no one else had to know that.

Still, Josh was a stubborn young man, and was not budging. "I don't know, Tyler. That's not really my kind of thing."

Tyler rolled his eyes, "We're going to do it. You need some excitement in your life."

And although Josh was still verbally opposed to the idea, he let the other boy somehow drag him into it. Well, probably because Tyler was right. He did need some excitement in his life. 

So after lunch, while group activity sessions were being hosted in different bungalows, the two boys managed to get away from their groups to head back towards the kitchen. 

"Okay," Tyler whispered to Josh, despite the fact that no one else was around, "This is the back of the kitchen. You lift me up to get to that window."

"Are you crazy? There's no way I'll be able to lift you up there! You're too heavy," He replied. 

Tyler crossed his arms, "I am not! Look at me!"

"Let's just find a different way inside," Josh sighed. Tyler reluctantly agreed, and instead, went towards the door on the side which was slightly propped open with a bucket. Probably to air it out, considering the windows were too tall to open on a regular basis. 

Tyler was about to step inside and over the bucket when Josh grabbed the back of his shirt.

"What?" Tyler hissed as he turned around.

"Well, the door is open, so there's probably still people inside," Josh said. 

And although his reasoning was sound, Tyler didn't want to hear it. 

"I don't see anyone. Let's just go, c'mon."

So, one minute later, they found themselves fully inside the kitchen. It wasn't pristine, but it wasn't run down, either. It was kept in fairly good shape for a summer camp kitchen, with a smaller cooking staff. 

"Look," Tyler pointed towards a tray of cornbread with saran wrap covering it. He took the wrap off and shoved a peice into his jacket pocket.

"Take some, Josh!"

And then a door swung open. It wasn't the side door, that they had come through. But it was the door leading to the freezer. Both Tyler and Josh stood still, like a deer in headlights, when a large woman with thick hair approached them.

"What do you boys think you're doing?!" She screeched, "Are - are you stealing my food?"

Josh looked at Tyler, who looked back at Josh. Neither of them knew what to say.

"You both are in big trouble. Stay right there, I'm calling the campus security," She said as she went over to a wall phone and dialed a number. 

Tyler quickly grabbed Josh's forearm and looked him intensely in the eyes, "Run."

And run they did. 

They both sprinted out of the open side door and ran for their lives back towards their cabin. They hardly registered the woman calling after them, telling them that she'd still find them, because they were so full of adrenaline and vigor that their feet carried them the whole way back. 

Finally, upon reaching their cabin, they each collapsed on their beds and took deep breaths, with bread crumbs falling out of their pockets. 

There was a small shift in the atmosphere that Tyler noticed as he looked over at Josh, who smiled.

"That. Was. Crazy," He breathed, giggling halfway through his sentence. 

Tyler busted up laughing immediately, I know right? That was so much fun!" He walked over and playfully punched Josh's arm, "Told you you needed some excitement!"

Josh laughed and nodded, finally agreeing with something Tyler said, "Yeah, you're right, I guess."

Now they had something that bonded them. They still weren't the best of friends, but it wouldn't take long to get there at this rate. 

"Do you think she'll catch us?" Josh asked, sitting up.

Tyler took a piece of bread out of his pocket and bit into it, "Maybe. Or maybe not. Either way it was fun."

Even though Josh was still a bit concerned as to weather or not they'd reap the consequences of their actions, he couldn't deny that this was so far his best summer at camp.

"Hopefully we're safe. I'd hate to get in trouble," Josh admitted. 

Tyler sat down on the bed next to him, "Relax, Josh. Just sit and enjoy the cornbread."

They did sit down and enjoy the cornbread. 

::::

"Listen," Ms. Rose began, getting up from her chair and posing in front of her desk, so that she was closer to the two troublemakers she was addressing, "I know you're not bad kids. So I'm not going to call your parents. But you have to respect the authority around the campus, alright?"

Tyler and Josh nodded accordingly. 

"You can't steal. I really shouldn't even be having this conversation with the two of you, because you're both old enough to know that it's wrong. Especially you," She pointed at Josh, "Young man. Okay?"

Josh hung his head and nodded. Tyler couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for dragging him into this, but at the same time, they both did have a good time, in the end. So, all in all, it wasn't that bad. 

"You're both free to go. Stay in your groups, and stay out of trouble," Ms. Rose said, holding the door open for them. 

The first few minutes as they walked towards a group activity of the day were silent. Their feet crunched over the gravel, birds chirped in the distance, and the occasional conversation was heard. Other than that, it was complete silence, and complete madness. 

"Are you mad at me?" Tyler asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. 

Josh shrugged. 

"Hey, c'mon," Tyler put an arm around Josh's shoulders, and took it as a good sign when he didn't shrug him off, "Look at the brightside. We had fun, huh?"

Josh chuckled and looked up, "Yeah, I guess we did."

"Isn't that what's most important?" Tyler asked. 

"I guess."

"Hey," Tyler said, bringing Josh's attention directly at him. Their faces were fairly close, and Tyler noticed things he hadn't before. Like the tiny little scar right above Josh's right eyebrow. He ignored the urge to reach up and touch it. "Next time, we won't get caught."

Josh raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help a smile from growing on his face, "Next time?"

"Well, yeah. You didn't think I was gonna give up that easy, did you?" 

That pulled a laugh from Josh, and Tyler didn't even bother removing his arm from around the boy's shoulders until they reached the Arts & Crafts bungalow. 

::::

It was late at night, and Tyler and Josh were the only ones in their room. Nick's parents had come to get him early, because of how incredibly sick he got in the few days since camp had started, but neither Tyler nor Josh felt very bad. They didn't know him too well, after all. 

"Josh," Tyler whispered, getting up from his bed and planting his feet on the floor. Josh had his back facing him, and although he didn't appear to be sleeping just yet, the sound of the crickets outside could've easily drowned out Tyler's soft tone. 

"Josh," He tried again, louder this time. 

The boy turned over and propped his head up on his hand, "What's up?"

"Let's go and explore the woods."

Josh sat up on his bed, an incredulous look on his face, "What?! It's way too dark outside. No way."

"That's what we have a lantern for," Tyler countered. 

"I'm pretty sure that's just for decoration. Plus, we don't even have any matches to light it. Or oil," Josh said, even though his tone wasn't entirely condemning. 

"I thought you might say that," Tyler smirked, heading towards his dresser. He pulled out a drawer and dug underneath several clothes to pull out a small box of matches. When he held them up to Josh, the boy's eyes went wide. 

"Where did you even get those?!" He whisper-shouted. 

"Arts and crafts, remember? It was in a little box in the corner."

Josh paused for a moment, "Dude. You're a serious kleptomaniac." 

Tyler scoffed, "I don't know what that means, but it sounds cool. Let's go into the woods."

"Tyler, that's kinda dangerous. I don't know if we should. Plus it's really cold," Josh said, despite getting up and already putting a sweater on.

"You have a sweater, you'll be fine. We'll just explore for a little bit, and then come back. No one will ever know we were gone, I swear."

Josh sighed, but nonetheless agreed to be Tyler's partner-in-crime. 

He tucked the matches into his jacket pocket and carried the lantern with his other hand, leading the way past the small buildings. 

They had hardly traveled a few feet before Josh grabbed a hold of Tyler's arm, claiming he was afraid to get lost. 

His company was warm, and maybe Tyler was genuinely starting to enjoy it. He thought about the end of camp, and a small weight brought his heart down. He really did hope they'd keep in touch.

"Where do you live, Josh?" He asked as they stopped once they were deep enough in the trees to light the lantern without being spotted. It wasn't as bright as a flashlight, but it did the trick. 

"Columbus. You?"

"Also Columbus. We should hang out after camp."

Josh nodded, "Yeah, we should."

They began walking a bit slower, keeping their eyes trained on the trail before them as to not step on or run into anything. 

But Tyler broke his eye contact with the ground to look at Josh's face, illuminated in the dim light. His heart felt... well, not heavy. It fluttered. Looking at the boy this close brought Tyler emotions he wasn't even sure he could have. 

"Do you have a girlfriend?" He asked suddenly.

Josh shook his head, still watching their feet, "Nope."

"Why not?" For some reason, Tyler's neck grew hot. 

The boy shrugged, "Not sure. I just don't know many girls that I'd be interested in."

Tyler kept his mouth closed and looked back down at their feet. But, because Tyler was Tyler, his mouth didn't stay shut for long. 

"Do you like boys?"

Josh's head shot up in Tyler's direction, "No. Definitely not. Why, do you?"

Tyler shook his head, but didn't make eye contact, "No way."

The next few minutes were spent in silence. Eventually, they reached a large clearing where the trees were spread out enough so that they could look up and see each star in it's full glory. 

And Tyler wished he payed more attention in class when they talked about astronomy, because he couldn't identify a single constellation. 

As if he was reading his mind, Josh pointed at a patch of stars towards the left of the sky, "Look," He said, "That's Orion. He's one of my favorite constellations."

Instead of looking up at the stars, Tyler turned towards Josh. He was a fascinating boy, really. Tyler thought the way the stars reflected in Josh's eyes was very fitting. Suddenly, Tyler dropped to the ground to sit and enjoy a different angle of the sky. He silently pulled at Josh's t-shirt, to sit with him. And together they sat in silence, marveling up at the sky.

"You were right, y'know," Josh said suddenly.

"I know, I'm always right," Tyler replied, causing Josh to chuckle.

"Wait," he turned towards the other boy, "Right about what?"

Josh continued looking up at the stars, "Nothing, nevermind."

"Hey, c'mon. Tell me."

Josh sighed, "When we were eating lunch and you said it was sad that my only friends was one of the lunch ladies. It is sad," The boy looked down at the ground and started picking at pieces of grass.

And, well, Tyler kind of felt like an asshole now. To be fair, he knew he was an ass most of the time, but it was only now that he really felt bad about it. 

"I can't seem to make friends for some reason. Not even my own parents like me," Josh pouted. 

"Really?" Tyler asked in a soft tone.

Josh nodded, "That's why they had me come to this camp as soon as I was old enough. They're always finding ways to get rid of me. I don't know why, though. I-" His eyes began to tear up and Tyler's heart began to break, "I just don't understand why they adopted me if they weren't going to love me."

And now Tyler's heart was shattered in two. It wasn't heartbreaking to know that he was adopted - lots of people were adopted - but it was heartbreaking to know that he was adopted into a family without love.

Tyler bit his lip and put a careful arm around Josh's shoulder, pulling him close. He stroked his hand up and down the boy's shoulder, trying to keep his own emotions at bay.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. 

Josh shook his head and brought himself to sit straight again, wiping at his tears, "It's okay. I - it's fine. Sorry for crying on you."

Tyler kept a hand stroking softly up and down Josh's back, "It's okay. My parents don't like me that much, either. But I know why."

"Why?" Josh asked, glad that the attention was taken from him.

"Because I'm an asshole."

Josh paused for a second before breaking out into laughter, right alongside Tyler. 

"You're not an asshole, Tyler-"

"I am. It's okay. I know I am. You're the only person I'm nice to," He confessed, lowering his tone. 

"Really?" Josh asked. 

Tyler nodded.

"Why me?"

He shrugged, "I dunno. I like you."

Josh showed Tyler a sincere smile, and nodded, "Thanks. I like you, too."

They both looked back up at the sky for a second, before Tyler's heart did a little thing again. He replayed Josh's words in his head over and over again. They made him happy. He wasn't entirely sure why (yes he was), but he figured he'd just let it be for now. 

"We should probably get back to camp," Tyler said, grabbing the lantern and standing up. Josh agreed, and he helped him up, as well.

"Hey."

Josh raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

"If you even think about telling anyone that we went into the forest and shared feelings, I will put this lantern out and you can find your own way back," Tyler said, only half-joking. 

Josh playfully rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

And even though it wasn't necessary, Tyler hooked his arm with Josh's on the way back towards camp.


	3. Chapter 3

Camp ended with Tyler and Josh on good terms. 

Time seemed to move so quickly after that tender night in the clearing. The two boys became even more inseperable than they already had been, and although the camp itself still wasn't very ideal for either of them, they found ways to keep each other company.

Usually it involved going somewhere they weren't supposed to, or taking something they weren't allowed to have. 

And even though Josh usually tried to get them to do something more constructive, he always ended up bending to Tyler's will.

He didn't exactly know why. He wasn't a pushover. But... well, Josh felt special - he was the only one privy to the softer and more sensitive side of Tyler. He was the only one who understood the smirks that Tyler would share with a group of confused people, or the way sometimes Tyler would fall silent and look towards the farthest point of the earth he could see. 

Josh knew what that meant. No one else did. And, if he was being honest, it was almost an addicting feeling. 

So, when they were finally saying goodbye, at the end of their few, short, weeks at camp, Josh couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat - and he knew Tyler felt it, too. 

"Don't forget me, okay?" Josh said, releasing Tyler from a hug. 

The other boy playfully rolled his eyes, "How could I? We just exchanged phone numbers two minutes ago. You've already texted me." He held his phone up and clicked on their text message conversation, which consisted only of one text from Josh.

_Josh (4:15): Hiiii :)_

They both chuckled. They'd surely miss each other. Yes, they'd see each other and hang out whenever they could, but at the same time, hanging out every single day was much more ideal than only seeing each other a few times a week, when their schedules would allow for it. 

"Tyler, you ready?" A matronly voice sounded from somewhere to the right. 

He only glanced at her before looking back at Josh. 

"I'll text you. And we'll hang out. I promise," Tyler said, placing a soft hand on Josh's cheek for half of a second before is body turned flush and he jogged towards their car. 

And Josh watched the car go all the way down the road and dissapear around the windy corners of the roads that would take him back home. 

Josh missed him already.

He sat down on a log beside the road and waited for his own parents to come pick him up.

::::

"So," Tyler's mom spoke up as they all sat around the dinner table, "How was camp, Tyler?"

The table got quiet suddenly, as they awaited Tyler's response. It was within his first week back, and he already missed having Josh in the bed next to him when he fell asleep. Which was odd, because he usually treasured the moments when he was left alone. Tyler dismissed the thought. It wasn't important. 

So he shrugged, "It was fine."

"Did you make any friends?" She asked. 

He thought of Josh, and how he was going to call him right after dinner.

"I guess."

For some reason, he wanted to treat this friendship differently than his other ones. Josh was different. 

But, again, Tyler dismissed anything he felt bubbling up in his heart. Because it wasn't important - it wasn't anything. Josh was just a good friend.

Suddenly, his father turned towards him, "Do you not want to talk about it or something?"

Tyler shrugged again, "There isn't much to talk about."

A mere few minutes later, they were all excused from the table, after an attempt to salvage any conversation was unsucessful.

And, of course, Tyler found his way into his bedroom immediately and clicked on Josh's contact. 

"Greg's dildo emporium, how can we satisfy you today?" A familiar voice answered. 

Tyler chuckled, "Very funny, Josh. And by funny, I mean not funny. You're not funny."

"Yes I am," A smirk was evident in his voice, "You know I am."

Tyler hummed, "Not really. You're too predictable to be funny." He wasn't serious in the slightest meaning of the word, but it was always entertaining to get a reaction out of Josh.

He scoffed, "Pre - excuse me?! Coming from the same person who texts me 'hi' every single morning. _That's_ predictable."

"So, what, now you're sick of my morning messages?" Tyler asked, feeling his teeth with his tongue. 

"Of course not. I love your morning messages."

There was a small, comfortable silence and Tyler couldn't stop smiling. He liked to think that Josh was doing the same thing, and feeling the same way.

"Hey, let's meet up," Tyler suggested. 

Josh paused, "I dunno, Ty. This isn't summer camp anymore. I - wait, where do you even live?"

"We both live in Columbus, remember?"

"Well, yeah, but what's your address?"

Tyler sighed and mumbled his street name, guessing that Josh wouldn't even know of it. They did live in a pretty big city, after all.

"Woah," Josh breathed instead.

"What?"

"That's my cross-street."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes, I'm serious!"

"How did we-"

"I have no ide-"

"Let's meet up now!"

And that's exactly what they did. There was a small park just north of both of their addresses, and Tyler noticed a daek figure sitting down on one of the swings and looking around - most likely for the person he was supposed to be meeting. 

"Josh?"

The figure looked up and smiled wide, "Tyler!" He dashed towards him and enveloped him in a tight embrace, despite the fact that had only been without each othe a few days. 

It made Tyler feel settled and unsettled at the same time. 

It was something like home. 

"I missed you," Josh candidly claimed, as he continued holding onto Tyler as if for dear life. 

Tyler hugged him back gently and chuckled, "It's only beed a few days, Josh."

"I know. But still," His soft tone was muffled into the crook of Tyler's neck and it made him want to melt for some reason. The weather outside may have been cold, but his heart was warm.

"Oh!" Josh exclaimed, breaking off the hug and leaving Tyler cold again, "I brought somethig!" He walked back over to where he had been sitting on the swings and picked up something Tyler had not previously seen sitting there. 

"Is that-"

"It was my grandma's. We keep some of her stuff in the attic, and I remembered we had this. I thought it would be perfect," Josh said, holding the old lantern in front of the both of them. It was difficult to see in the dark, but Josh took a pack of matches from his pocket and lit one up, lighting the inner candle and allowing the light to spread.

And - well, the lantern was beautiful. Far more decorative than the one that had been in their cabin. The copper was chipping and turning an off-green color, but there was a detailed floral pattern that was carved all around the sides of the lantern. It was easily visible, even in the dim lighting, and held itself with grace and dignity, despite the small dents and paint chips that may have devalued it to anyone else. 

"It's... it's beautiful," Tyler admired.

Josh smiled and bit his lip, "Thanks. Let's go sit down."

There weren't nearly as many trees as there was in the woods that their camp was located in, but Tyler still found himself reaching for Josh's hand for some (un)beknownst reason.

They found solace beneath a tree, and if they looked directly above them, they could see a bird's nest and an owl's resting place. However, they found themselves staring up at the stars. 

"They're not as visible in the city as they were in the woods," Josh commented. 

"I know. They're still nice to look at, though."

Josh hummed in response and they continued sitting in silence. 

"Do you know anymore constellations?" Tyler asked.

Josh sucked in a deep breath and nodded, even though he seemed unsure of himself.

"That," He pointed towards the middle of the sky, "Is the Big Dipper. I think. Or is that the Little Dipper? No, it's the big one. Yeah."

Tyler chuckled and shook his head, "You are full of shit, Josh."

The other boy feigned offense and gasped, "What? How? You asked me if I knew any constellations, and I'm showing them to you!"

Tyler just chuckled again, "Okay. Whatever you say."

And although Tyler looked back up at the sky, Josh did not. He wanted to watch the sky from Tyler's eyes. And when the boy turned to him, he could see the stars, the moon, the sun and every planet, solar system and galaxy inbetween. There was a swirl of emotions from the middle of Josh's heart to the pit of his stomach, and he thought that the freckle's on Tyler's face resembled the Milky Way Galaxy itself. 

So he reached up with a gentle hand and began connecting the dots from Tyler's nose, to his cheeks, to his chin, and back again. 

Tyler scrunched his face up, "You weirdo."

But Josh chuckled, "I can't help it. You look like the Milky Way."

Maybe Tyler didn't know what he meant, but he liked it nontheless.

"I like you, Josh."

"I like you too, Tyler."

The owl cooed from somewhere above their heads and a shooting star might've passed - they were too busy looking at the universe to see the sky.

"Sorry, I meant, Mr. Milky-Way-Galaxy," Josh corrected himself, causing a smile to break out on Tyler's face. 

Tyler laughed heartily and gently gripped Josh's hand, bringing it down.

"You ruined the moment with your stiupid joke," He claimed. 

Josh raised an eyebrow, "What moment?"

"You know exactly what moment."

They both turned back towards the sky, despite desperately wanting to see the universe again.

Josh leaned his head on Tyler's shoulder, to which an arm was placed around him. Their backs weren't too comfortable against the tree, but they were comfortable being side-by-side. 

Tyler pointed towards a random string on stars above, "Is that a constellation?" He asked. 

Josh shrugged, "Not sure. Maybe."

Tyler hummed and thought about maybe one day him and Josh would find themselves among the stars. Together. Together among the stars. It sounded nice and Tyler didn't want to go back home. 

::::

Unfortunately, school came around the corner soon enough, and Tyler and Josh could no longer spend each and everyday with each other. Although Tyler was homeschooled, Josh was not, which made seeing each other a bit more difficult. They were still chatting on the phone almost every evening, and hanging out on the weekends, but for some reason it still wasn't enough. 

Tyler wanted _more_. 

Maybe he was just spoiled, because he had gotten used to waking up and going to sleep with Josh during summer camp, but either way, their regular routine left Tyler deficient of something more. 

So, he took a small break from shooting hoops in the backyard to sit on the pavement and text Josh. 

_Tyler (3:45): Let's have a sleepover._

_Josh (3:45): when? tonight?_

_Tyler (3:46): Yeah. I'll come over to your house_

_Josh (3:46): but where would you sleep?_

_Tyler (3:46): In your bed. Duh._

_Josh (3:46): Creep_

_Josh (3:46): Jk. I'll ask my mom :)_

Tyler chuckled and looked up at the sky. The sun was blazing and there were scattered clouds that formed a rather pretty pattern.

 _Not as pretty as Josh_ , He thought to himself.

Maybe he should've been embarrassed by the thought.

He wasn't.

So he let Josh's face sit in his mind for a few seconds more before letting out a deep sigh, and getting up to shoot the basketball a few more times.

"How many baskets have you made so far?" A voice came from the backdoor.

Tyler whipped his head around, and resented the fact that he was pulled out of his thoughts about his friend.

He shrugged, "Not sure. I think I just reached one hundred."

His mom put her hands on her hips, "Alright. Well, you still have a ways to go. Keep it up."

"Hey, mom?" He asked, stopping her from where she had started to walk back towards the house. 

"Yeah?"

"Can I spend the night at Josh's tonight? Please?" Right as he ended the question, he heard his phone sound from his pocket. He took it out and gave it a quick glance. 

_Josh (3:52): My mom said you can come! :D_

A small smile formed on his lips, and he bit it to keep it from advancing any further.

"The boy you met from summer camp?"

Tyler nodded.

"Where does he live?"

"Just down the street, on Plum."

His mother pursed her lips and shrugged, "Sure, I guess. Just make sure you finish your baskets first."

Tyler was so excited, he could jump for joy, "Sweet, thanks!" And he immediately turned back towards the basket, shooting basket after basket, almost making each one. 

His aim was suddenly better, now that he had actual motivation to make it. He remembered the text on his phone and then paused, only for a second, to answer. 

_Tyler (4:07): Awesome! I gotta finish my baskets first, and then I'll be over there_

_Josh (4:07): Can't wait :)_

Tyler smirked and shook his head, before taking the basketball between his hands once more and aiming towards the hoop. 

Eventually, though, Tyler got impatient and cut his practice a bit short. Only by a few hundred shots.

"Done already?" His mom asked as he rushed inside and towards the shower.

"Uh, yeah, basically," He replied. She went to say something else, but Tyler already shut and locked the bathroom door, and by the time he got out, he was so quick with packing his bag that he darted out of the door with a swift goodbye.

He practically skipped over towards Josh's house - so excited to finally be able to fall asleep beside him and wake up beside him, like they did at camp. 

So when he finally approached the familiar home, he knocked a few too many times on the door. 

It opened quickly, and a kind-looking woman with blonde hair answered the door. 

"Tyler, it's good to see you again! Come on in, I'm just starting dinner," She claimed, opening the door and stepping aside for him.

"Thanks. Where's Josh?" He asked, clutching his backpack tightly. 

"In his room, as usual. That kid and his video games," She playfully rolled her eyes and left Tyler to find his friend, who immediately moved towards Josh's room.

He knocked twice on the door at the end of the hallway. When there was no response, he knocked again. After another few seconds of silence, he pursed his lips and slowly opened the door to revel Josh sprawled out on his bed and looking up at the ceiling, with earbuds on. The music was so loud, Tyler could hear it from the door. 

When he was fully in the room, Josh looked up and smiled, turning his music off. 

"Tyler!" He exclaimed, "I didn't even hear you come in."

"Well, yeah, how could you with that music at a deafening volume?" Tyler asked, chuckling and sitting down right next to Josh.

"I know, I know, but you _have_ to listen to this band. They're amazing," Josh said, handing Tyler an earbud. 

Without another word, Tyler put the earbud into his ear and rested his chin in his hand as Josh clicked play.

Right away, Tyler was enamored. The music was soft and slow, but it also pulsed with an even beat; much like a tall man who walked with purpose down an empty street. Lengthy and steady steps - that was the music that was filling Tyler's head at the moment.

When the chorus picked up, Tyler snuck at look at Josh, who was already looking at him.

He smiled politely, and Josh's eyes were something that not even the best, most skillful novelist could portray.

He was gorgeous.

"You're gorgeous," Tyler said aloud, only slightly surprised at himself. 

Josh chuckled, "Thanks. So are you."

A light blush found it's way at the base of Tyler's neck, as he turned to rest his head on Josh's shoulder. 

Josh began playing with his hair, and didn't bother changing the song when the one he wanted to show Tyler had ended. A similar one came on, presumaly by the same artist. 

And they stayed like that for quite some time. Josh with his fingers tangled, then untangled, then tangled again in Tyler's hair, and Tyler with his breaths even, and steady, caressing Josh's arm. 

Eventually, the door to the room swung open without warning, causing the both of them to jump. 

"Oh-" Josh's father said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to... interrupt." He cleared his throat, "Dinner is ready. So. Let's eat." He closed the door before even finishing his sentence. 

Tyler and Josh simply looked at each other, with entertained expressions, before theh burst out into laughter. 

"What did he think we were doing?" Tyler asked, mid-laugh. 

Josh shook his head, "No idea."

Truly, it was a mystery (no, it was not).

Dinner was delicious and pleasant. And, truthfully, Tyler liked it much better than the dinners he had over at his own home. Not because of the food, but because of the association. 

 _What pleasant people_ , Tyler thought to himself at one point, _Now I know why Josh is so cool_.

He smiled to himself and took a bite of macaroni, and when Josh raised an eyebrow at him from across the table, Tyler simply chuckled and returned to the current table conversation.

::::

Later at night, when the two boys were finally actually tired enough, they both laid down in Josh's bed, despite there not being that much room. 

Once they said goodnight, Josh faced the wall, with his back towards Tyler, who frowned. 

He lightly poked Josh's shoulder. The boy turned around, "Yeah?"

"Come closer," Tyler whispered, trying not to throw off the heaviness of the dark atmosphere. 

Josh immediately obeyed, scooting more towards Tyler.

"Like this?" He asked when he was about two feet away.

"Mm, no. Closer."

He scooted forwards again, until their bodies were practically pressed flush against one another. Tyler wrapped one arm around Josh's waist to keep him close, while Josh kept his arms close to his chest.

"Is this okay?" Tyler asked. He was considerate, after all.

"Yeah," Josh breathed, his minty-fresh breath puffing on Tyler.

"'kay. Goodnight, Josh."

"Goodnight, Tyler. You weirdo."

Tyler chuckled and then closed his eyes. And when he heard Josh take a deep breath and nuzze himself even that much closer, Tyler couldn't help but feel _loved_.


	4. Chapter 4

Tyler was hardly surprised that the bond between him and Josh only grew stronger as time went on. 

They were the best of friends, yes, but their dynamic was just unlike any other. Without either of them saying a word, they'd already know what the other was thinking. It was almost a talent.

"Josh?" Tyler spoke up one night as he sat on the boy's bed, shuffling Josh's his music for him while he did his homework.

He hummed in reply, not taking his eyes from his paper. 

Tyler opened his mouth to say something, when Josh's phone chimed in his hands, and he couldn't help but looking at the notification.

_Mark (8:31): Hey Josh :)_

Tyler furrowed his eyebrows, as a slight twinge of jealousy made it's way up his throat. Really, he knew he had nothing to be jealous about - it's not like Josh was his boyfriend. Josh had or confessed to him one night that he was, indeed, attracted to men, but Tyler found himself fumbling for words when he attempted to express the same thing.

So he held his breath, waiting for the conversation to be brought up again.

"Who's Mark?" Tyler asked, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Josh turned around and thought for a moment, before recalling, "Oh! Mark! He's sits next to me in Chemistry."

Tyler pursed his lips and handed Josh his phone, "Well, he just texted you. With an emoticon."

Josh smirked as he typed out a reply, and for a second, Tyler wondered if he was torturing him on purpose.

"So, do you have a crush on him or something?" He asked, getting right to the point. He tried to remind himself that it wouldn't be a big deal even if Josh did, because while Tyler never found himself dating anyone, Josh was known to have a boyfriend or girlfriend every now and again.

Regardless, the other boy shrugged and handed his phone back to Tyler, so he could continue playing music, "Not sure. I mean, he's hot, but. I'm just not sure if I'm really into him."

"Would you say yes if he asked you out?" 

Josh thought for a moment, "Yeah, I guess."

Another notification popped up by the same guy, and Tyler handed him his phone back, getting up from the bed.

"I should probably get home. I think I have homework, too," He said suddenly.

Josh furrowed his eyebrows, "You're not gonna sleep over? I rented a movie for us to watch."

And, well, Tyler really actually did want to stay. But he was also a sixteen-year-old boy with a huge crush on his best friend. Which would be a much simpler scenario if Tyler knew how to express himself.

"No, I'm good. I'll see you later," He replied. And then he exited the room, pretending not to hear Josh call after him. 

Before he even reached the front door of the house, Tyler was already internally beating himself up for being so childish. He wasn't a kid. He should know how to deal with the fact that Josh simply didn't reciprocate the feelings that Tyler had kept inside for years now. It was fine.

Really, it was fine. And Tyler should've been more supportive. 

So, that's exactly what he tried to do the very next week, as they walked to the nearest retail store, getting Josh supplies for an English project.

Tyler cleared his throat, "So, uh. How's Mark?" He asked, his skin already burning with humiliation.

Josh gave him a sideways look. "He's alright. Same as usual, I guess, I dunno. Why?"

Tyler shrugged, "Just trying to be supportive."

Now Josh was really confused.

"Supportive? What do-"

"Look, Josh, you can date whoever you want, I'm not - I don't care, honestly."

"What?" Josh grabbed Tyler's arm and stopped him in his tracts on the sidewalk. "What are you talking about?"

Tyler sighed deeply and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground. "Nothing," He mumbled. 

"Wait..." Josh paused, and one, two, three seconds later his eyes became wide with understanding, causing Tyler's heart to drop to his stomach.

"Are you... jealous?" He asked, with a hint of mockery in his tone. 

Tyler immediately scoffed, beginning to walk along the street again, "Don't be ridiculous, Josh. It would be stupid of me to be jealous."

"But why are you jealous?"

"I'm _not_ jealous."

"You clearly are. Do you-" Josh gasped, "Do you like Mark?!"

Tyler rolled his eyes so hard, he might've seen his own brain.

"No, I don't like Mark! I don't - just - let's drop it, okay?"

"Fine," Josh said far too calmly, as he put his hands in his jacket pocket and fell into step beside Tyler. There was only a few seconds of silence before the boy with a knowing smirk on his face spoke up again.

He bumped an elbow into Tyler's side, "I knew you liked guys. You know you don't have to be embarrassed about it, right?"

"I'm not embarrassed about it," Tyler claimed, still keeping his eyes trained in the ground.

"Okay. But I'm just saying that I knew it," Josh replied, clearly not intent on letting this go.

"Whatever, you ass," Tyler replied, despite the smile on his face. 

Josh laughed and put an arm around Tyler's shoulder, pulling him closer.

"Also, you don't have to be jealous of anyone. You're always gonna be my number one." His tone was low and left zero room for uncertainty as to how geuine he was being.

Tyler bit his lip to keep his smile from taking over his entire face, as a bright blush worked it's way from the base of his neck to his cheeks.

When Josh noticed how hard he was blushing, he tightened his grip on the boy, "You're cute," He chuckled. 

Tyler rolled his eyes again (in a more playful manner this time), and pushed lightly at Josh's side, "Get away from me, you creep."

The laugh that came from Josh was by far the most beautiful laugh that Tyler had ever heard. It made his heart flutter and the colors in the world stand out with more vibrancy, he thought.

"Yeah, right. You love it," Josh retaliated, putting his arm right back around him.

 _I love you_ , Is what Tyler wanted to, but didn't say.

Either way, he was in a much better mood when they finally entered the store.

::::

Tyler was laying flat on his bed, his face smushed into his pillow. It had been a rough week - and by rough, he meant it had been proving more and more difficult to keep his feelings for Josh at bay. It was pretty much all he thought about anymore, and he was beginning to hate himself for it.

"What's wrong with you?" Zack asked, as he entered the room with a book and a binder. 

"Nothing," Tyler murmured into his pillow. 

"You sure? You usually only lay like that when you have a problem."

Tyler lifted his head up and narrowed his eyes at his brother. Curse that boy for being so observant.

"What?" Zack asked, pulling a bag of baby carrots from his pocket and biting into one. 

Tylrr simple shook his head and laid back down, just as he felt his phone vibrate. He already knew who it was and he already didn't want to talk.

Suddenly, he felt something small pellet his back. He lifted his head towards Zack, who wore a shit-eating grin.

"Did you seriously just throw a baby carrot at me?" Tyler asked. 

"Tell me what's wrong," His brother demanded, tossing another carrot his way.

For some reason, Tyler wasn't exactly in the mood to retaliate. So, as thoughts of his best friend possibly never feeling the same way for him flooded his mind, he simply sighed. 

"Nothing, Zack. I'm fine," He said, putting his head back down on his pillow. 

Suddenly, there was a dip in his bed.

"Is it about a girl?" Zack asked. 

Tyler snickered, "No. Just leave me alone."

"Fine. I'll be in the living room," The dip in the bed re-inflated as Zack left the room, leaving Tyler to his slightly self-destructive thoughts.

There was a chirping outside of the window, and Tyler turned his head towards the sound. It was pretty. It reminded him of the park, at night, when him and Josh had the low light of the lantern flicking beside them as they shared their personal space and seemed to have no verbal boundaries. It was so nice, it put a little weight in Tyler's heart and a sadness in his bones.

He could really use a nice night in the park.

Right as he was about to pull his phone out of his pocket, he remembered the text notification he had already recieved earlier.  

_Josh (4:05): you doing anything tonight?_

_Tyler (4:17): Nope. Wanna go to the park? At night? We could sit by the lantern like last time_

_Josh (4:18): Actually, Mark and some other friends from school wanted to go see a movie. wanna do that instead?_

He knew it was stupid, but the second Tyler read that text, his heart flared up with a bit of jealousy. And he already knew that he was going to decline the invitation. He was not going to stand around and be nothing more than an extra body while he watched his closest friend associate and get along with people he didn't even know. And - well, he knew Josh wouldn't ever intentionally forget about him, or leave him, but it was most likely going to happen. It usually did in these kinds of situations. 

Josh was social - everybody wanted to either be with him, or be him. Tyler didn't even have to attend the same school to know that. 

So, no, he was not going to go to the movies with them. If he was going to hang out with Josh, he wanted it to be just the two of them, so that he could have Josh's attention all to himself, as childish as that seemed. 

_Tyler (4:06): Nope. I'm good._

_Josh (4:08): why not? I thought you weren't doing anything_

_Tyler (4:08): I'm not but I don't wanna hang out with random people. I'll just stay in tonight._

_Josh (4:10): :( c'mon, come with me. It'll be fun_

_Tyler (4:11): No thanks_

_Josh (4:11): Fine. But don't be surprised when I sneak into your bedroom window and force you to come_

Tyler looked towards his window, noticing that it was unlocked. He left it that way. 

_Tyler (4:13): I'd like to see you try._

He pocketed his phone again and rested his head on his pillow, suddenly feeling rather tired. He reached to his nightstand and grabbed a pair of earbuds (they could've been his or Zack's, he really didn't care) and hooked them up to his phone, turning his music as high as it would go. Right before he played the first song, he vaguely heard his brother inform him that he'd be staying at a friend's house for the night. 

But all of his thoughts were clear and out of his head, as the first song that played when he put his phone on "shuffle" was one of Josh's favorites. The one with the steady, yet calming beat: the beat with a purpose. 

And as he thought of how he pushed Josh away today, as he thought of how Josh was currently hanging out with people that weren't him, he couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit neglected.

Yes, it was his fault for not accepting Josh's perfectly genuine invitation. Was that going to stop his eyes from stinging? No.

So he closed them, hoping not a single tear would fall.

Several songs later, Tyler opened his eyes: it was dark out. 

He sat up and paused the music, blinking rapidly and looking around.

Had he fallen asleep? 

Well he must've. Not only was the moon greeting Tyler brightly through his window, but his bedside clock read 9:55pm.

Wow. He must've been _really_ tired.

He sighed and put his head in his hands, not even bothering to check his phone for missed text messages. Instead, he laid right back down, his back facing the window. Despite it being a textbook-beautiful night, with an owl cooing and crickets chirping, it onlu aggrivated Tyler more. Because he could only think about how Josh would love these sounds if he were here right now. But he wasn't. Because he didn't want to be.

And all Tyler wanted to do was go right back to sleep. He was done thinking for today.

Well, he thought he was anyway.

Because right as his eyelids began to flutter shut again, there was a tap on his bedroom window.

He rolled himself over begrudgingly, only to see Josh himself tapping the window with a shit-eating grin on his face. 

Tyler couldn't believe his eyes. He didn't know weather to be annoyed or overjoyed.

Either way, he found himself making his way over to the boy and forcefully opening the window. 

"Josh - what're you doing!?" He whisper-shouted.

Without even replying, Josh lifted the beautiful lantern that he brought with him to the park last time.

"C'mon, I'm taking you out. Just you and me," He replied, his smile becoming more genuine.

Tyler shook his head in disbelief, "I thought you were with your friends?"

"I was," Josh shrugged, "But none of them are nearly as cool as you. I realized halfway through the movie, that I'd pick laying around with you over going out and doing something with them any day."

Tyler couldn't help but feel at least a little bit endeared, "Really?" He asked, his tone soft.

"Yeah, of course. You're my best friend, Ty," There might've been a light blush on his cheeks at the moment, but it was too dark to tell. Josh looked inside the bedroom and peered around.

"Where's Zack?" He asked, "Don't you guys share a room? I was almost afraid to knock, 'cause I didn't want to wake him up."

Tyler shrugged, "Yeah, I dunno. Let's go to the park."

And so they went, with their arms entertwined, towards the place that they both cherished the most. 

It was dark and foggy outside, and the stars were hardly visible. It made Tyler a bit sad, but at the same time, he didn't really care. Because Josh was here, with him, and there wasn't a weather severe enough to make him want to change that.

"It's cold as fuck out here," Tyler commented, clinging even tighter to Josh as he shivered. 

"Yeah, I know. Not super ideal," He replied, holding the lantern even higher to try and provide better light (it didn't work).

Even though the fog was thick and it was difficult to see where they were going, Tyler knew when they passed up their usual spot. 

"Wait, Josh, you passed up our tree," He said.

"I know. We're going somewhere else tonight."

Tyler raised an eyebrow, "Like where?"

"You'll see," Josh said with a smirk.

After about a minute of silence and slight confusion, they reached a small stone bridge that stretched across and even smaller stream of water that ran through the park. Josh set the lantern down on the edge of the bridge and leaned over it, looking down at the petals, the leaf pads, and the frog that croaked.

Tyler did the same, resting his elbows on the hard, cold, stone.

"Why're we here?" Tyler asked, keeping his tone soft as not to breach the suddenly sensitive atmosphere. 

Josh shrugged, "I was thinking of it earlier today. You can't see as much because of the fog, but this spot is beautiful. Reminded me a lot of you."

Tyler chuckled, "Are you calling me beautiful?"

But there was no trace of humor in Josh's tone when he turned to Tyler and nodded. Yes, there was a small smirk on his face, but it wasn't because he was making a joke.

Tyler's heart skipped a beat, and his stomach warmed up a bit. He wasn't entirely sure what Josh was up to, but... it was different. In a good way. Either way, Tyler shook his head and chuckled again.

"You're weird," He replied. It seemed to be the only sentence his brain could get through his mouth.

Josh chuckled as well, moving his hand from in front of resting on the stone to clasping Tyler's hand in his.

Tyler looked down at their hands, wondering what was going through Josh's mind at the moment. He turned his head to the side, at Josh who was already staring at him, and moved a bit closer, so that their sides were touching. 

Josh disconnected their hands to bring his up and tuck a loose strand of hair behind Tyler's ear. 

And suddenly, as if sucking in a breath of air, Josh's mouth opens. Then closes, leaving the other boy intrigued. 

"Tell me," Tyler said softly, his heart beating out of his chest. If this was going the way he thought it was going... well, he was about to be the luckiest man alive.

"I love you," Josh replied. 

Tyler smiled so wide, his eyes crinkled at the sides and his teeth were on full display.

"I love you, too," He said.

There was a pause. Josh moved closer by less than an inch, and Tyler did the same. However, they were still too far apart in his opinion. 

Even in the dark light of the night, Tyler could still see Josh's eyes flick down to his lips. 

He did the same, but still, neither of them moved closer. 

Tyler was not one for these kinds of games.

"Do you want to kiss me?" He asked, even a bit bold for him.

Josh nodded eagerly, and for a minute, Tyler thought he was dreaming.

"Then do it," He said, his tone only faltering a little bit.

And so he did. Finally - _finally_ , after waiting for what seemed like ages, Tyler felt Josh's soft, and pliant lips graze against his own. He felt the cold from the air in Josh's breath, and he vaguely tasted mint, from the last time the boy brushed his teeth.

Josh cupped Tyler's jaw with one hand, and set another on his waist, pulling him closer and closer until their bodies were pressed flush against one another. 

Tyler easily locked his arms around Josh's neck, holding him in place (as if he was going to go anywhere).

 _This_ , He thought, _This_ _is_ _it_.

This is what Tyler had been missing. This is what that one semi-awful summer at camp lead to, and this is what it felt like when you just knew there was someone meant for you.

It was inexplicable. They simply fit in every way possible. Tyler slid his tongue along the bottom of Josh's lip, letting their tongues intertwine and mingle. 

For only a second, Tyler wondered if maybe he was in a movie. Everything was simply too perfect. The boy in his arms, the lips against his, the way they moved in sync. 

But it couldn't possibly have been a movie. Because this was something greater. The most talented director in the world couldn't accurately portray a moment like this, and Tyler knew that.

Josh moved his hand from Tyler's jaw to his back, pulling him even closer, even though it didn't seem possible. Tyler let out a soft sound into Josh's mouth, pulling something similar from the other boy. The kiss went even deeper, both of them tilting their heads in either direction to get a better angle. 

An owl chirped, and crickets sounded, but the sound of Tyler's heart thumping against his chesh was far more prominent than anything else at the moment.

By the time they pulled back, they were both so out of breath, their lungs had been burning for a sufficient source of air.

"Oh my God," Tyler breathed. 

Josh chuckled and planted a light kiss on Tyler's neck, "I know. You're incredible."

Tyler hummed in agreement and tangled a hand in the back of Josh's hair, pulling their lips together once again.

Suddenly, the lantern that had been flickering weakly by their side went out, leaving them in pitch black surroundings.

Josh pulled back for a second to look at it.

"Well," He said with a smirk, "Guess I gotta find my own way back home."

For a second, Tyler was puzzled, but then began to break out in hearty laughter, when he realized what the other boy was referencing.

"You jerk," He playfully pushed at Josh's chest, "That was, like, three years ago. How do you still remember that?"

Josh shrugged and moved his hands to wrap around Tyler's waist, "How could I not remember? You were such an asshole to me."

Tyler scoffed with a smirk on his face, "I was not! I was just... confused. Besides, you were lame back then."

Josh just gave him another kiss on the lips, "Still think I'm lame?" He asked.

Tyler bit his lip and nodded, his eyes full of mischief. 

"Hm. Guess we'll have to fix that, won't we?"

And Tyler didn't even get a second to reply before Josh picked him up by the backs of his thighs and placed him on the half-wall of the bridge. He tangled one hand in the back of Tyler's hair, and the other he splayed on his thigh, holding the boy tightly and kissing him as deeply as he possibly could, and bobbing his head back and forth to do so.

And even though there was a definite warmth radiating from the both of them, Tyler still shivered as goosebumps made their way down his arms.

"Cold?" Josh asked, as he pulled back.

Tyler nodded, breathless from Josh's influence. 

"You wanna go back home?"

Tyler nodded again, but then opened his mouth to speak: "But I want you to come with me."

Josh smiled as he helped Tyler hop down from the stone wall.

"I'd like that," He replied, reaching into his pocket to take out a match and relight the lantern. 

They walked hand-in-hand, shining the dim light from the lantern against the foggy path they chose to go down.

And as silly as he felt, Tyler could not keep a smile off of his face. His best friend, his companion, his other half - the person he harbored the most feelings towards - felt the same way he did.

He looked to his right, at the boy who was only slightly shorter than him. He was beautiful. A masterpeice of a human being, really. 

Josh turned, as well, to meet Tyler's eye contact. 

Tyler smiled even wider than he had been, putting an inquisitive look on Josh's face. 

"What?" He asked with a chuckle. 

Tyler shrugged and tightened his grip on Josh's hand, "Nothing. I'm just really happy right now." 

A look of admiration came across Josh's face as he gave him a peck on the right side of his temple, "You're so cute."

Tyler chuckled, "Not as cute as you."

Josh playfully rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder into Tyler's, "Whatever, you dork."

The temperature seemed to drop even more by the time they reached Tyler's house, but it didn't matter for too long, as they both snuck back into Tyler's room through his window, and then clicked it shut.

"Finally," Tyler sighed, turning around, "Warmth."

Josh simply hummed in agreement before wrapping his arms right back around his waist, putting one leg between both of Tyler's.

Tyler smirked into the kiss that was initiated, before his face fell completely serious when Josh knocked them both onto Tyler's bed.

Tyler scooted back to rest himself on his pillow, letting Josh climb over him and kiss first his lips, then his jaw, working his way slowly, but surely down his neck.

His lips were soft and warm, leaving a hot spot everywhere they touched. Tyler involuntarily bucked his hips up, silently asking for more. 

Josh looked up with a deperation that Tyler had never previously seen. But, then again, this was all new. From the way they were touching each other, to the way Josh's hot breath made him shiver, despite no longer being cold. 

Josh came back up to kiss the other boy on the mouth, as Tyler wrapped his arms around Josh's neck to keep him in place - he wanted to stay like this forever. 

The hands that went down to Tyler's hips and back up his shirt were soft and comforting, moving up and down his torso with a gentle touch that made Tyler want to tear up. He wasn't going to, but he definitely could've. 

Josh's hands worked their way down to Tyler's pants, pressing his heel into the obvious and almost embarrassing buldge that was there. 

Tyler bucked his hips up again, moaning softly into Josh's mouth. 

Before Josh pushed down again, he disconnected their lips and looked into Tyler's eyes. Eyes that were full of lust, love, and so many more emotions that were undefinable. 

"Can I-"

"Yes, please," Tyler whispered before he even finished his sentence. He didn't need to know where he was going. He had enough trust in Josh to know that he had nothing to risk with the boy. 

So Josh pressed his heel down again, rubbing his hand up and down Tyler's crotch, just to watch the boy shift himself here and there - not knowing which one of the many senses to focus on.

Tyler grasped onto the back of Josh's t-shirt, tugging it up until it was over his head and on the floor, giving Tyler full access to feel everywhere he wanted to. And it was glorious. Sure, he had seen Josh shirtless before, but never like that. Never had they been so close in such an intimate way before. It was really something that Tyler knew he was going to cherish for the rest of their lives. 

 _The_ _rest_ _of_ _our_ _lives_ , Tyler thought, _that_ _sounds_ _really_ _nice_.

"Josh," Tyler breathed, disconnecting their lips for a moment. 

He brought his hand up to cup Tyler's jaw, biting softly right below his ear. 

"Hm?" He hummed.

"I-I love you," Tyler said. His mind felt so free and light at the moment, he swore it was transcending into another realm.

"I love you, too, Tyler," Josh replied, moving to kiss him sweetly on the lips. He began working his way back down his torso, pushing his shirt up to kiss his belly, then his hips. 

Tyler's hands were beneath his pillow, gripping the sheets hard which contradicted with his breathing that was beginning to even out. Josh looked up, silently asking for permission as his fingers were placed delicately on the button of Tyler's jeans.

Not a word was spoken, but Tyler nodded. Josh pushed the jeans down his legs, throwing them on the floor, and then pushing his underwear only down to his knees. 

There was a second where neither of them said or did anything. There was no dialouge, no movement. Only crickets outside of the window and eyes tracing body parts tracing eyes. 

It was mystifying and intense; blood-pumping and heart-calming. It was everything. And while it was also a tiny bit worrisome, Tyler had to remind himself that Josh had more experience than he did. He hated the image of anyone besides him getting this kind of treatment, but that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was that Josh was here, with Tyler, confessing that he loved him, too.

Josh flicked his eyes up to make eye-contact with Tyler, and then gently gripped his shaft. Tyler groaned, but kept his head still.

And then, suddenly Josh's lips were around the head of Tyler's cock, his tongue flicking over the slit. 

Tyler took in a sharp breath, throwing his head back into the pillow. Josh's tongue swirled around the head and then went deeper, his cheeks hollowing out to take more and more, bobbing his head up and down. And Tyler knew he wasn't going to last long, if Josh kept this up.

He tangled a hand in the back of Josh's hair, pulling at it.

"Josh," He moaned as his mouth went a few inches deeper, the wet sucking sound driving him crazy.

"I - fuck, oh my God - Josh, I-" His words were scattered, much like his brain, as he wasn't even sure what he was trying to say.

Josh must've understood, however, because he tightened his grip on Tyler's cock and popped his mouth off, moving up to kiss him and using his saliva as lubrication, to move his fist up and down rapidly. 

Tyler broke the kiss off to bury his head in the crook of Josh's neck, trying to stifle his cry as he came in Josh's hand. 

Josh worked him through it, pumping slower and slower as Tyler came to his senses. 

Tyler's head dropped back down to his pillow, taking a few deep breaths and blinking heavily. Josh laid down right beside Tyler, pulling him close in an embrace, and lightly stroking his head. 

Tyler's heart was still beating rapidly as he looked up at Josh, who had a satisfied grin on his face. 

There were almost no words to even be said. So instead of talking, Tyler put a hand on Josh's cheek and engaged him in a light kiss.

"That was amazing," He commented, his tone light and high.

Josh chuckled, "You liked it?"

Tyler nodded. 

"Good," He replied, "I was hoping you would."

Tyler kissed him lightly again, before he remembered that Josh was probably also in need of something from him.

"You want me to do something for you?" He asked. 

Josh shook his head, "I'm good. I, uh. Kinda took care of myself while I was down there."

Tyler broke out into laughter, "What, really?! I didn't even notice!"

"Yeah, I know. You were pretty busy enjoying my hard work," Josh replied, shifting himself so that he was on top of Tyler again, kissing him deeply. 

Tyler chuckled into the kiss and he knew, in that moment, that he was the luckiest man on earth to have fallen in love with his best friend. 

He made a mental note to thank his mother for sending him to summer camp that one year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this one. Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or concerns, as I love to read them.  
> Story was inpired by "Folkin' Around" by _Panic! At the Disco_ (also where the title of the story was taken from).  
>  Stay safe, and stay alive, friends.
> 
> (Special thanks to the most lovely lady of my life, for always supporting me and my writing no matter what ❤️)


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